Headrest for artificial respirators



March 8, 1949. F. T. WALLlN 2,463,728

HEADREST FOR ARTIFICIAL RESPIRATORS Filed March 22, 1947 Patented Mar. 8, 1949 HEADREST FOR Francis T.

ARTIFICIAL RESPIRATORS Wallin, Brookline, Mass.

Application March 22, 1947, Serial No. 736,573 Claims. (01. 128-29) This invention relates to an adjustable headrest, such as may be used on an artificial respirator, or iron lung, or the like.

Heretofore in head-rests used on respirators, it has not been possible to secure fine adjustments of the head-rest, and the use of several pillows or pillows of varying thicknesses have been necessary to secure suitable adjustment. Furthermore, in previous head-rests it has not been possible to lower the head-rest quickly, as is frequently required in emergency cases. Artificial respirators, of course, are used to provide artificial respiration where the patient is unable to breathe naturally, due to paralysis of the diaphragm, or injury to the respiratory nerve centers, as in cases of polio, electric shock, and various brain conditions, such as tumors, skull fractures, concussions and the like. In such cases it is not unusual for the patients throat to suddenly fill up or close, and the patient will choke to death in a very few minutes unless relief is immediately provided. For this purpose the head of the patient must be lowered in the quickest time possible, and to permit emergency tracheotomy or bronchoscopy operations, a head-rest permitting such quick lowering of the head is most essential in such situations.

I have devised an adjustable head-rest to overcome the defects and objections of previous headrests used on such apparatus, and which permits adjustments in height of the head-rest of as little as of an inch of height at a time or which can be dropped completely out of the way in two or three seconds time whenever desired to permit emergency treatments and operations.

Before explaining in detail the present invention it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and arrangement of parts illustrated in the accompanying drawings, since the invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced or carried out in various ways. Also it is to be understood that the phraseology or ter minology employed herein is for the purpose of description and not of limitation, and it is not intended to limit the invention claimed herein beyond the requirements of the prior art.

Other advantages and objects will appear in the following specification and accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the head-rest in its lowered position;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view highest position: I

Fig. 3 is a side elevation with parts in cross of the same in its section of the arm and winding mechanism there- Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the attaching plate for the sling;

Fig. 5 is a sectionalelevation oi the locking means for the head-rest;

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the locking collar, and

Fig. '7 is a sectional elevation of the same.

In the drawings ill represents the end wall of a respirator and H represents the head aperture therein. Extending horizontally from the end wall Ill of said respirator, on opposite sides of the head aperture are two arms I? and I3 forming supports for the head-rest. The arms l2 and iii are preferably screwed into the end wall ill by suitably threaded ends such as lSa on arm l3 (Fig. 3). A sling I5 of suitable flexible material, such as rubberized cloth, is provided, having a loop HS in the fixed end thereof which is inserted over the arm l2. The other end is fixedly attached to a sleeve 29 by means of attaching plate 2|, and screws 22 therein. Sleeve 2c in turn is rotatably mounted on arm l3. The arm I3 is shown in more detail in Fig. 3 and comprises the threaded end l3a, abutting nut 23 and threaded end 24 having collar 25 which is fixedly attached to threaded end M by means of screw 26. Collar 25 has radial holes 21 provided therein to receive locking pin 36 referred to below. The holes 21 can be spaced apart a suitable distance, depending upon the fineness of the adjustment desired for the head-rest.

The sleeve 20 encloses arm l3, being loosely mounted for rotation thereon and is shorter than arm l3, preferably by about /3 of an inch. Sleeve 20 is held on arm i3 by means of the collar 25 on the outer end of arm l3 which abuts inner end wall 28 of said sleeve 20 (Fig. 3) and by nut 23 on the other end, and being shorter than arm l3, sleeve 20 is free to move longitudinally on arm l3 between these two abutments. Means is provided for turning said sleeve 28 for winding and unwinding the sling l5 thereon, which includes enlarged end 30 (Figs. 3 and 5), handle 3i and oppositely extending knob 32. Means for locking said sleeve 20' to i3 is also provided, which includes radially extending bushing 35 (Fig. 5) having mounted therein pin 36 having head 31, flange 3B abutting lower interior edge 39 provided in enlarged end 30. said pin 36 is designed to enter radial holes 21 provided in said collar 25, being enter said holes by means of spring M. A loose the supporting surpin 36 and pushing sleeve 26 inwardly on arm i3 until abuts nut 23. Pin 35 is then unable to enter holes 27 in collar and sleeve 29 may be rotated until the sling I5 is raised or lowered to the pushing in the handle 3| unwinding sleeve 20 by the patient. I claim:

said arm to hold said arm and sleeve in fixed relation.

2. An adjustable head-rest for an artificial respirator or the like, comprising a pair of arms ingxsaid sleeve to said arm.

3. An adjustable head-rest for an artificial resthe inner end of sleeve pirator or the like, comprising a pair of arms extending from the end Wall of the respirator, a sling of flexible material supported at the ends 4. An adjustable head-rest for an artificial respirator or the like, comprising a pair of arms FRANCIS T. WALLIN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Forshee et a1.

of record in the Number Date Dec. 3, 1940 

